How to Promote Your Videos Online, by Our Wix Video Expert

It’s a fact: videos already make up 80% of all Internet traffic in 2017! Most of the content we consume online comes in the shape of a film, whether it’s the latest Wix ad featuring supermodel Karlie Kloss, a new fitness tutorial, or the clip of “Despacito” that we see (and yes, enjoy) for the trillionth time. The good side of this trend is that you too can take advantage of it. If you’re a filmmaker, you have a plethora of tools to promote and distribute your creations. For business owners, it’s now easier than ever to shoot short movies (testimonials, Facebook Lives, etc.) to feed your customers and boost their conversion rate.

On the flip side of the coin, more videos also mean more competition to grab the attention of the good Internet people. Anxious to face this alone? Fear no more, since you have the best mentor on your side. Namely, Danielle Raiz, Head of Wix Video, and the mastermind behind this new tool and its revolutionary features. Free and intuitive, Wix Video enables you to display your content in the best possible quality, straight from your website. But it also transforms your videos in a powerful marketing tool, that will raise your sales, give a nice boost to your SEO and help you build a community of loyal fans.

We met up with Danielle, who kindly accepted to share some of the most secretive tips of the video industry. The mic’ is yours, Danielle:

Hi, Danielle. Welcome to the Wix Blog. We’re super glad to have you with us today. Can you please tell our readers a bit about who you are and what you do at Wix?

Hi, and thanks for welcoming me on the Wix Blog. I manage the Video team at Wix, a job that has been pretty intense this year because we’ve finally released – after a long period of research and development – our core product, Wix Video. Its goal? To help our passionate users get the most out of their videos by addressing their most common challenges (quality, speed, etc.), and opening up new options for display and distribution. In a nutshell, my job is to combine innovation and creativity to help our users grow online.

How did your interest in video grow?

I’ve been working in tech for quite some time, most of it in media-related start-ups. Providing users worldwide with tools for creative expression gets me excited, and focusing on video – the most engaging format of all – was an easy career call. On top of this, there is some family background to this move. When my mom decided to leave a successful career in journalism to pursue her dream to produce documentary films, it helped me better understand the challenges and needs of filmmakers and creators.

How have the recent changes in the video industry and new technology affected videographers?

These are such amazing times to be a video creator! Possibilities for showcase and distribution are now endless. New formats like 360 and live streaming enable videographers to explore new ways to tell stories, and the variety of platforms enables viewers and creators to connect like never before. Movie creators are taking their career into their own hands, engaging with their communities at all the stages of the process – from getting financed through crowdfunding, to sharing sneak peeks on social networks, to featuring their work on a wide variety of platforms and even selling it on demand directly to fans. I’m curious to see the ways creatives will take this industry forward.

Wix Video is a relatively new product – and it’s already one of the most successful Wix features. What does it enable users to achieve?

For businesses, we see videos as a growth engine. All types of businesses can use this format to connect with their customers, tell the story behind their brand, and educate customers with how-to’s and tutorials. It helps them to better convert their visitors into customers, reach new audiences, and help existing customers understand the full value of their products (or services). Some companies even use video as a way to generate a new revenue stream, by selling their skills and services as video on demand. Imagine a Pilates instructor with a Wix website: she uses Bookings as a scheduling and payment system for classes, shares healthy living tips on her blog, and now is even able to make money selling video workouts on her site.

And what are the advantages for filmmakers and other video creatives?

For video creatives, their site is their main business card. They need a stunning and professional showcase that complements their work. With Wix Video, they can showcase their videos in a seamless viewing experience, regardless of where they are hosted, creating mixed channels with YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook and Wix-hosted videos. At Wix, they have full control over their layout and other functionalities, which provides tremendous creative freedom. We see them creating online portfolios, film websites, crowdfunding projects, production blogs and platforms where the films are distributed directly to fans – and all the revenues go straight to their pocket [Wix takes 0 commission].

Why put a video on your website when you have dedicated platforms like YouTube, Vimeo or even Facebook for that?

Different platforms are great for different purposes, like discovery or community-building. But when you want a professional online presence, it is just not enough. Featuring your videos on your site means having complete control over everything from design to monetization, displaying all your videos in one place, and even customizing the player with your brand colors.

Since at Wix we’re all about helping your business grow, if you plan on selling your videos on demand or through monthly subscriptions, this will be 100% commission free. But most importantly, when you have your own site, your viewers are all yours to engage with – every visitor who signs up is added to your contact list, so you can grow your base of emails and keep them coming.

What kind of videos would you recommend for a small business to promote themselves?

Videos that every business needs include (i) an introduction of your business and vision, (ii) a fun “Meet the Team” clip, and (iii) testimonials of happy customers. Your videos should be treated as part of your marketing strategy, so make sure they are consistent with the tone and style of your brand. Once you have the basics, create a plan that suits your unique business type and your goals. For example, store owners can gain great value from instructional videos that educate customers about their products, while fitness instructors can use short preview of classes on social media to tease viewers to come to class and watch the full lesson on their site. Seasonal videos and quick responses to trending topics are also a great way to attract eyes.

There are plenty of online resources to give you the 101 on how to create videos that are technically good (practice before you start shooting, keep it short, use good lighting and so on). If you ask me, the most important thing for a small business creating videos is authenticity. You can’t fake it on camera, and video should be seen as an opportunity to build trust. As a small business owner, you are the best ambassador of your business. Don’t memorize or read a script, just keep it simple and be yourself.

What should you prepare before you start rolling?

You should have a clear goal before you pull out your camera. What is the message you want to convey? What do you want the viewers to do after they are done watching? Should they sign up to your mailing list? Visit your site? Or buy your new product? Make sure your call to action is clear without being overly ‘salesy’, and try to communicate the most important thing you want to say in the beginning. Viewers attention spans keep getting shorter, so you want your main message to pop up in the first 10 seconds of your video.

A few tips on how to share those videos?

Make sure you match the type of content you create to the platform you are sharing it on: share your testimonials on Facebook, longer product demos on YouTube and your exclusive content on your site. In any case, each video should have a clear call to action and include relevant business information to make it easy for viewers to turn into customers.

In terms of SEO, what are the crucial aspects one should keep in mind?

The presence of video on your website will boost your SEO ranking since search engines favor sites with rich media content. Make sure relevant info like video title, description, and tags are present and well-thought since they will help your content to be found easily. Catchy, memorable video titles can maximize chances of user engagement, and drive extra traffic from search engines. Descriptions are particularly important when publishing your videos to social media platforms, as they inform the user and search bots about the content of your video and, in turn, help increase the chance of traffic.

Do you have any examples of Wix Video users with outstanding websites? What can we learn from them?

Our users are truly something special. One site I love is Buhler in Motion, a portfolio by Marty Buhler, a professional cinematographer specializing in dance related videos. Buhler split his videos into different channels like Live Dance and Trailers and used an eye grabbing video preview as his channel cover. His site is a great inspiration for a design that puts your content front and center.

There’s also a real chic site by a Swedish production company called Adieu Film. They created a page for each production with additional information and used the Get Subscribers app to grow their mailing list so they can share updates, screenings, and events.

Another outstanding user to learn from is John Lovett, an Australian artist who sells video lessons and books, promotes his offline workshops and shares his vast knowledge with visitors through his painting blog. A professional site, multiple revenue streams, and real value for the visitors: a wonderful example of a small business thinking big.

Our focus for the upcoming months is making your videos work for you. I can’t share too many details, but what I can say is this: get ready to connect your entire business to your videos and turn them into the most powerful tool to grow, on your site and beyond. It’s going to be very interesting!

Thanks a lot Danielle for all those valuable tips.Alast word to share with our readers? You have “carte blanche”!

They say that a play button is the most compelling call to action on the Web – so use it to your advantage. Ready, set, action!